Food And Nutrition Services

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- The number of children who qualify for free and reduced-price meals in Washington County Public Schools is expected to rise this year. And according to the supervisor of food and nutrition services for the school system, some families might not know they qualify. During the last school year, 38.2 percent of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals, and based on preliminary numbers, Supervisor of Food and Nutrition Services Jeff Proulx expects that number to rise.

As a result of a fire Monday that damaged Antietam Academy, students and staff are temporarily being relocated to Hagerstown Grace Brethren Church at 837 Spruce St., according to a release from Washington County Public Schools. The students and staff will begin classes at their new quarters Monday. Students will be provided with the same services and support they received at the location on the grounds of South Hagerstown High School, including quality instruction, required technology, bus transportation, and food and nutrition services, the release says.

HAGERSTOWN -- As a result of a fire that damaged Antietam Academy on Monday, students and staff temporarily are being relocated to Hagerstown Grace Brethren Church at 837 Spruce St., according to a Washington County Public Schools press release. Students and staff will begin classes at the church on Monday. Students will be provided with the same services and support they received at the location on the grounds of South Hagerstown High School, including quality instruction, required technology, bus transportation and food and nutrition services, according to the release.

Meal prices in Washington County Public Schools will rise by 5 cents next school year - the second straight year of increases - but still will be among the state's lowest, according to a school system official. The Washington County Board of Education on Tuesday approved a $10.35 million Food and Nutrition Services budget for fiscal 2013. The budget includes the increase in meal prices. With the increase, lunch will cost $1.95 for elementary school students, $2.20 for secondary school students and $3.35 for staff members.

Participation in a food cooperative has already saved the school system $20,000, according to Gary Dodds, supervisor of food and nutrition services for the Washington County Board of Education. Food service administrators across the state formed the cooperative to lower costs for individual school systems. The School Board signed an agreement to join in August 1998 and participated for the first time this year along with 11 other counties. End of November financial data shows food costs were about $20,000 less than the same time last year, Dodds said.

By KERRY LYNN FRALEY Staff Writer A full school lunch will cost a nickel more and the price of some single items will go up next year to offset higher food and labor costs, the Washington County Board of Education voted Tuesday night. The price hike - up 5 cents to $1.30 for elementary students and $1.55 for middle and high school students - is the first raise in the lunch price in five years, said Donald Trumble, director of food and nutrition services. Breakfast will stay $1 for both elementary and secondary students, Trumble said.

FREDERICK, Md. - The Frederick Community Action Agency is seeking donations to support its various programs that assist people who are low-income or homeless. Health Care Clinic needs personal hygiene supplies such as shampoo, towels, washcloths, razors, shaving cream, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and child-care items such as disposable diapers and baby food. Frederick Foodbank needs non-perishable foods such as canned fruits and vegetables, juices and drinks, canned meats and fish, pasta products, canned soups, rice and other staples.

pepperb@herald-mail.com The Washington County Board of Education voted Tuesday to increase the prices of school lunches by 10 cents for the next school year, citing a loss in cafeteria revenue this year due to snow days. The cost of lunch in elementary schools will increase to $1.50 and the cost of middle and high school lunches will increase to $1.75. The lunch price for adults will be raised from $2.90 to $3.00. Gary Dodds, supervisor of food and nutrition services, said although the program this year was successful in terms of meal participation, the food and nutrition services budget lost about $162,878 due to weather-related school closings and delays.

Washington County students might have to pay 10 cents more for a school lunch this fall. Gary Dodds, supervisor of food and nutrition services, is proposing the increase to cover the cost of raises for lunch workers. Currently, elementary students pay $1.30 and secondary students pay $1.55. The proposed hike would be the first in three years. The cost of a la carte items such as pizza, sandwiches and fruit drinks also is expected to rise modestly, Dodds said. The food service is unique in the school system because it is self-supporting.

scottb@herald-mail.com You no longer can find cakes, whole milk and some chips on sale at cafeterias in Washington County Public Schools: Those and other food items have been replaced with more nutritional, less fatty products, school system officials say. When students returned to school Aug. 25, the menu of items on sale in the cafeteria had changed, said Gary Dodds, supervisor of food and nutrition services. The changes were made in response to state government mandates that ordered all school systems to develop, by January, a master plan for how they are going to ensure that all food items on sale in cafeterias meet certain health requirements, Dodds said Rather than changing the menu during the school year, he decided to make the changes before school started, he said.

The school system's got milk - from low-fat to fat and lactose free - in a variety of flavors. Chocolate is the favorite milk flavor of students in Washington County Public Schools, followed by vanilla, according to the school system's Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor Jeff Proulx. Washington County Board of Education members, who were about to vote on a contract for a milk supplier, asked Proulx about the vanilla flavoring and the sugar in flavored milk during a May 7 school board meeting.

Meal prices in Washington County Public Schools will rise by 5 cents next school year - the second straight year of increases - but still will be among the state's lowest, according to a school system official. The Washington County Board of Education on Tuesday approved a $10.35 million Food and Nutrition Services budget for fiscal 2013. The budget includes the increase in meal prices. With the increase, lunch will cost $1.95 for elementary school students, $2.20 for secondary school students and $3.35 for staff members.

Fiestada pizza, shrimp poppers and tasty tacos will cost 10 cents more next school year after the Washington County Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to approve its Food and Nutrition Services budget. Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor Jeff Proulx warned the school board in February that he would be returning to ask for a price increase for school breakfasts and lunches. While a federal act mandated a price increase, Proulx told the school board Tuesday that he would have recommended a 10-cent increase anyway to help cover increasing food and labor costs.

TRI-STATE -- Elementary, middle and high schools across the Tri-State are getting serious about energy by installing geothermal wells, recycling cafeteria waste and turning off lights. The moves are not only designed to reduce utility costs and help the environment, but to provide lessons about sustainable living for students. "It's interesting the impact a 7-year-old can have on a lot of things families do, whether it's turning off the lights or recycling the trash," said Manny Arvon, superintendent of Berkeley County (W.Va.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Washington County Public Schools officials say enrollment has increased by almost 2,000 students since 2001. As of September, 21,895 students were enrolled in the school system, according to statistics provided by the Washington County Board of Education. In 2001, the number of students was 19,910. Deputy Superintendent Boyd Michael said officials had expected growth, but didn't think the increase would be this high because residential construction has been slowed by the sluggish economy.

HAGERSTOWN -- Three public schools in Washington County are reaping the benefits of federal stimulus money. The kitchens at Bester, Salem Avenue and Winter Street elementary schools have gleaming new equipment. Of the $100 million invested nationally in school food-service equipment, $1.4 million went to the state of Maryland, of which almost $87,000 was directed to Washington County Public Schools, said Jeffrey Proulx, the school system's supervisor of food and nutrition services.

HAGERSTOWN -- As a result of a fire that damaged Antietam Academy on Monday, students and staff temporarily are being relocated to Hagerstown Grace Brethren Church at 837 Spruce St., according to a Washington County Public Schools press release. Students and staff will begin classes at the church on Monday. Students will be provided with the same services and support they received at the location on the grounds of South Hagerstown High School, including quality instruction, required technology, bus transportation and food and nutrition services, according to the release.

As a result of a fire Monday that damaged Antietam Academy, students and staff are temporarily being relocated to Hagerstown Grace Brethren Church at 837 Spruce St., according to a release from Washington County Public Schools. The students and staff will begin classes at their new quarters Monday. Students will be provided with the same services and support they received at the location on the grounds of South Hagerstown High School, including quality instruction, required technology, bus transportation, and food and nutrition services, the release says.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- The number of children who qualify for free and reduced-price meals in Washington County Public Schools is expected to rise this year. And according to the supervisor of food and nutrition services for the school system, some families might not know they qualify. During the last school year, 38.2 percent of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals, and based on preliminary numbers, Supervisor of Food and Nutrition Services Jeff Proulx expects that number to rise.

FREDERICK, Md. - The Frederick Community Action Agency is seeking donations to support its various programs that assist people who are low-income or homeless. Health Care Clinic needs personal hygiene supplies such as shampoo, towels, washcloths, razors, shaving cream, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and child-care items such as disposable diapers and baby food. Frederick Foodbank needs non-perishable foods such as canned fruits and vegetables, juices and drinks, canned meats and fish, pasta products, canned soups, rice and other staples.